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Draft storyAt the school

The town’s route cards

The class learns that different materials take different journeys.

A draft: the words and pictures are waiting for an educator’s review.

Who’s in it

Meet everyone in Gullbrae

The story

Isla lays out picture cards of a lorry, a sorting building and two sealed tanks on a classroom table.

Before class, Isla laid out picture cards: a collection lorry, a sorting building and two sealed tanks.

Zara lines up all three cards along one strip of cloth while Isla listens.

Zara put all the cards in one line. She thought everything must go the same way.

For grown-ups: Putting every card on one route is the mistake in this story. Different materials go to different places.

Malik, Priya and Amina each place a role card beside their own picture card while Isla helps.

Then Malik, Priya and Amina came in. Each one put their card beside the job they do: collecting, sorting and treating food waste.

For grown-ups: The three cards show three different jobs: Malik collects, Priya sorts, and Amina treats food waste in sealed tanks. Not every material goes to all three.

Zara follows one set of picture cards with her finger while Isla stands beside her and Amina points to the biogas card.

With Amina’s help, Zara followed just one set of cards, step by step. The other sets stayed apart.

Amina: “The tiny workers do the breaking down. We look after the conditions.”

For grown-ups: In the food waste example, food is collected and treated in sealed tanks. This makes two separate things: biogas, and a fertiliser that is checked before it is used on suitable fields. This does not mean grass grows straight away. The best first step is not wasting food at all.

Zara places the last blank caption under three separate pictures on a shelf, with Isla and Priya beside her.

Now the display showed different places, spaced apart. Zara added the last caption.

Near the classroom door, Isla talks with Zara while Malik checks a tablet.

Isla reminded Zara to check what really happens in their own area, while Malik looked up the local guidance.

Malik: “Start with the material. Then read your council’s current instructions. Colour on its own isn’t enough.”

For grown-ups: Which collection and treatment your own area uses has not been checked for this story. Look at your council’s own guidance.

Draft, 20 October 2026. The words and pictures are not yet reviewed by an educator. The story follows the outline in our story guide.

The real-life bit

Collecting, sorting and treating are different jobs, and not every material goes to the same place. Which treatment your area uses has not been checked for this story, so look at your council’s own collection and treatment guidance. Gullbrae is made up. Your council’s own rules are the ones to follow.

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